PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Michael Halo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Renato Rua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Halo's entrance music is Squeeze 1st-Jay-Z. A fine choice. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Halo
vs
Rua

189 cm
28
182 lbs
15 - 6 - 0

178 cm
24
182 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Firebird Designs

Al's Supplements - 160 Q for $150

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Michael Halo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Renato Rua!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Robert Douchet and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rua lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Rua is looking to chop away at Halo's legs.
Rua pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rua uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Halo.
Halo tries to land a front kick but Rua steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Rua gets tackled into the cage by Halo. Halo maintains the clinch.

Halo breaks from the clinch.
Rua has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Halo.
A low kick from Rua misses
and Halo counters with a nice uppercut.
Rua lands a leg kick that knocks Halo off balance momentarily.
Rua throws a body punch but Halo moves out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Halo. Rua does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rua scores with a decent looking hook.
Halo is looking to score with low kicks.
A thudding body kick lands there by Halo!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A looping hook to the body misses from Rua. Halo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rua tries to clinch up.
Jab, jab by Rua - just one landing.
Rua chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Halo can pounce on him.
Good exchange - Halo coming out on top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halo looks to score with a jab to the body but Rua is just out of range.
Rua tries to land a front kick but Halo steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Rua tried to score with a low kick but Halo checks it.
Rua avoids the head kick by Halo.
Halo goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A low kick from Rua misses
and Rua takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Halo swings for the body but Rua moves out of range.
Rua tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Halo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Halo throws a hook but Rua avoids it easily.
Halo throws an overhand right that lands on Rua's shoulder, as Rua tries to avoid the shot.
Halo connects with a body shot.
A shot to the liver by Rua. Beautiful body shot.
Rua throws a front kick aimed at Halo's knee but Halo avoids it well.
Rua misses with a kick to the body.
Rua throws a sloppy head kick
and Halo counters with a nice uppercut.
Rua uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Halo.
Rua lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halo lands a slapping body shot.
Rua checks the leg kick nicely there.
Nice shot by Halo.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Halo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rua manages to avoid it.
Halo looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Halo chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Rua can pounce on him.
Halo's jab looks to have found its range, popping Rua under the eye.
Halo throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Halo drops his hands momentarily and Rua takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Rua takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
A left lands for Halo.
Rua wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
A good leg kick by Rua.
Rua lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Halo at a distance.
Halo is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Rua tries to clinch up.
Rua moves out of range of the leg kick from Halo.
Rua misses with a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halo misses with a leg kick.
Halo bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Rua's head.
Rua ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Halo moves away.
A telegraphed right hand from Halo misses the target.
Halo slips a jab from Rua.
Rua fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Halo checks it well.
Rua throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Rua feints and then cracks Halo's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Halo down.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rua looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Halo is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Halo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Rua throws a leg kick but Halo sees it coming and moves out of range.
Halo swings for the body but Rua moves out of range.
The fighters circling - Halo throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A nice inside leg kick there by Halo. That's going to slow Rua down.
Halo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Halo scores with a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halo looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Halo circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rua is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Halo rather than just go for the knockout.
Rua throws a wild body kick that Halo sees coming a mile off.
Rua feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Halo's calf.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Halo smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Rua ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Halo moves away.
Rua with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Halo to score with a decent uppercut.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Halo. Rua shrugs it off though.
Rua connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Halo throws out a leg kick but Rua moves out of range and Halo only half commits.
Halo throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Halo throws a right and a left that Rua avoids nicely.
Rua fails with a takedown attempt.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Halo scores with a punch to the head.
Halo attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Rua cracks Halo with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Michael Halo will probably get the nod.
That's time! Halo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Rua digs a good body shot into Halo's ribs.
Halo connects with a body shot that sends Rua's belly button to the back.
Halo takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Halo pivots, looking for a leg kick but Rua is out of range and Halo settles back down.
Halo tried to score with a low kick but Rua checks it.
Rua misses the shot to the body.
Rua connects with a body shot.
Halo looks for the body kick but Rua saw that one coming.
A lazy body kick from Rua
and Halo counters with a stiff right hand.
Halo fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Rua goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Rua lands with a nice body punch.
Rua throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Halo lands a nice leg kick that just misses Rua's sensitive parts.
Halo lands a glancing blow to the side of Rua's head.
Halo lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rua has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Halo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halo throws a push kick but Rua slaps the foot to one side.
Rua connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Rua tries to clinch up.
Halo moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Rua misses with a body shot.
Nice body kick there by Rua.
Rua throws the kick towards the body but Halo avoids it.
Rua wants to land a leg kick but Halo is out of range.
Rua misses with a leg kick
and Halo makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Rua has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Rua there as he acknowledges the shot.
Rua has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Halo.
Rua throws a half hearted mid kick.
Halo is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Rua throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A clash of legs there as Halo blocks the low kick.
Rua moves into range and connects with a jab.
Halo is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Rua throws a half hearted mid kick.
Halo connects with a single shot there.
Rua lands a leg kick that knocks Halo off balance momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rua lands a right hook to the body.
Rua chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Rua lands with a straight right. Halo didn't see that one coming.
Halo misses with a low kick.
Rua throws an off balance right hand
and Halo cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Halo misses with a head kick.
Rua throws out a powerful jab.
Rua tries to clinch up but Halo circles away and keeps his distance.
Rua misses with a body kick.
A thudding body kick lands there by Halo!
Halo connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Halo misses the body punch
and Rua counters with a head kick.
Halo misses with a kick to the body.
Rua feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Halo's calf.
Rua blocks a leg kick.
Rua takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halo feints and then cracks Rua's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Rua down.
Rua throws a right hand that misses
and Halo makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Rua waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Halo.
Halo looks to score with a jab to the body but Rua is just out of range.
Rua is looking to clinch but Halo is avoiding it.
Rua tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Halo was well out of range. Poor timing from Rua.
Renato Rua seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rua throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Some bone on bone action there as Halo checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Rua scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Rua checks a leg kick.
Rua throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Halo throws a jab but it's blocked by Rua.
Rua tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Halo is able to avoid easily.
Halo avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Halo lands an overhand right.
Rua bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halo scores with a jab to the head.
Rua moves out of range of the body kick from Halo.
Rua throws a shot to the body.
Halo changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rua wants to clinch up but Halo keeps it at a distance.
Halo throws a lazy right hand but Rua sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Halo throws a push kick but Rua slaps the foot to one side.
Rua throws a solid leg kick but Halo takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Rua.
The fighters circling - Halo throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Halo pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Halo misses the body punch
and Rua counters with an outside leg kick.
Decent striking displayed by Halo there.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Halo digs a good hook to Rua's body.
Rua throws a sloppy head kick and Halo moves out of range easily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rua. Halo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Halo is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Michael Halo will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Rua moves out of range as Halo throws a body kick.
Rua throws a low kick but Halo avoids it.
A good leg kick by Halo.
Halo connects with a leg kick. Rua looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Rua lands with a good body shot.
Rua throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Rua has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Rua misses with a low kick.
Halo fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Rua is out of range.
Rua fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Rua is looking to slow Halo down with leg kicks.
Halo jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Rua tries to land a front kick but Halo steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Rua scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Halo attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Rua ducks under a wild hook from Halo.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Halo. Rua shrugs it off though.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Halo staying out of range there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halo fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Halo cracks Rua with a right hand to the side of the head.
Halo scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Halo missing with a left hand there. Rua was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rua misses with a wild body shot.
Rua is looking to clinch.
Rua misses with an uppercut. Halo saw that one coming.
Rua shoots for a takedown but Halo saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Halo slips a jab from Rua.
Rua keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rua wants to land a leg kick but Halo is out of range.
Michael Halo is winning the standup battle so far.
Halo feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Rua's calf.
Halo swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rua misses with an uppercut. Halo saw that one coming.
Halo lands with a shot to the body.
Renato Rua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halo finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Halo cracks Rua with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Rua pivots, looking for a leg kick but Halo is out of range and Rua settles back down.
Rua fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Halo connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Halo checks a low kick from Rua.
Rua looks for the body kick but Halo saw that one coming.
Halo takes a body punch but keeps moving.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rua. Halo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Halo throws a solid leg kick but Rua takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Halo.
Halo moves out of range as Rua throws a body kick.
Halo throws a wild body kick that Rua sees coming a mile off.
Rua throws a body punch but Halo moves out of range.
Halo has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Rua finds it's way round the side to connect with Halo's head.
Rua lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Halo lands with a kick to the temple. Rua shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halo digs a good hook to Rua's body.
Halo fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Rua digs a good hook to Halo's body.
Halo lands a slapping body shot.
Rua connects with a body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Halo throws the kick towards the body but Rua avoids it.

Rua drives through and clinches with Halo against the cage.
Rua lands a right hand that snaps the head of Halo backwards.
Good body shot from Rua.
Rua has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Halo is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Michael Halo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Rua trying to land knees to the body.
Rua misses with a knee to the head.
Rua misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Halo.
Rua trying to land knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Rua tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Halo avoids it.
Halo landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Halo stops a takedown attempt from Rua.
Michael Halo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Renato Rua.
Halo lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rua lands a body punch in the clinch.
Rua looking to throw knees to the head but Halo is blocking nicely.
Halo working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Rua misses with a punch to the body.
Rua misses with a punch to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Halo on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Halo lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rua with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Renato Rua.
I think Halo has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge William Peck scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Michael Halo!
Michael Halo took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Firebird Designs for their support in the buildup to the fight.